


One More Chance

by soapficgal



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:04:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5725627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapficgal/pseuds/soapficgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Shawn and Mimi one shot story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Chance

 

Christmas was always the time for celebration. It was that special, magical time of year when everything that could go right should. It was that one moment in time when the world seemed to fall into place and there was joy to the world--peace on Earth and all of that other garbage. At least that’s what everyone wanted you to believe. It was just another one of the lies that the world fed to you in order to keep you from doing yourself in.

At least that was Shawn Brady’s theory as he made his way into the Pub long after his grandparents had closed it down for the holiday season. Sure, ok so maybe he’d smiled and played it fake for his family just so that he didn’t ruin their holiday, but when it got down to it, there wasn’t much to be thankful for this time of year. It was a wonder that he made his way through the Christmas party considering that his world was in pieces. He and Belle were in the midst of a divorce after he’d learned about her repeated infidelity and even though she’d begged for a second chance, he knew now that there wouldn’t be any going back. You couldn’t spend years alienated from one another and then just expect everything to fall into place as though time hadn’t changed anything.

“It’s over,” Shawn sighed circling around the bar preparing to pour himself a drink when he heard the sound of the front door opening to alert him to the fact he was no longer by himself. He grabbed the bottle in front of him, not bothering to address the new patron as he took in a small breath. “We’re closed.”

“That’s okay. I was just looking for shelter from the impending storm,” the voice explained causing him to stand up straighter. He tipped his head up only to discover the last person in the world that he’d anticipated seeing before him.

“Mimi?” Shawn questioned unable to believe that his ex-wife was standing in front of him wrapped up in a bright green scarf and an oversized beige jacket. “What are you doing here?”

“Passing through to Chicago,” she explained with a nervous grin as her eyes swept over the bar. “I guess I thought that I would be able to lay low in Salem for a little while before heading on my way. Stupid idea I’m sure, but…”

“No,” Shawn replied motioning for her to take a seat across from him at the bar, “not at all. I guess I just didn’t expect to see you here considering that…”

“That I ran away from town and vowed never to show my face again,” Mimi forced a small laugh, “Yeah I get that a lot considering how things kind of fell apart for me before I left.”

“That was a long time ago,” he replied knowing only too well that there wasn’t a person in Salem who hadn’t been guilty of making a mistake. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Have any hot chocolate?” she questioned pulling off her mittens before her eyes returned to the storm taking place just beyond the pub.

“With the tiny marshmallows that you used to like?” he offered up with a warm smirk, just happy to have someone else to speak with now that he’d contemplated burying himself in bourban and his misery.

“Yeah, those would be nice unless of course you don’t have any, which then I guess I could go for coffee,” she paused biting down on her lower lip nervously. She started to rise up off of the bar stool finding herself on edge in front of him. “Unless it’s too much trouble and then you can bypass it altogether. I really don’t need to stick around and bother you when…”

“Mimi relax,” Shawn raised his hand in the air to silence her, “It’s ok.”

“Right,” she slowly sank onto her seat once again before taking in a breath, “So Shawn how are you? Really…”

“Honestly,” he leaned in over the top of the bar and took in a breath. Their eyes connected for a moment before he spoke up again, “I’m terrible. How about yourself?”

“I’d like to say I was doing well, but…” she stopped herself mid-sentence. “Did you just say that you were doing terrible?”

“I did,” he nodded in confession, “which I guess is my own fault, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear about that.”

“Actually yeah I would,” she hesitated, “I mean not that I would want to hear that you’re doing terrible, but at the same time I don’t think you should keep it all in. Nothing good ever comes from holding onto the feelings of negativity.”

“I suppose not,” he closed his eyes once again. His thoughts returned to his finding Belle and Phillip together and his heart sank. “I guess what it gets down to is one moment you think you have it all figured out and then the next life throws you an unexpected curve. I mean how can you go from having everything to waking up one morning in a life that you’re not sure was even meant for you in the first place?”

“It sounds like a typical day for me,” she groaned in response. “The world is full of chaos and confusion and each time you try to reach for a life preserver, there is always someone else ready to reach out and grab it in the hopes of yanking your dreams away from you.”

“Obviously you’re having a worse day than me,” he noted the sadness in her tone.

“Not really,” she shrugged before taking in a breath. “Truth be told I’m not here by accident.”

“What do you mean?” he questioned lightly.

“The fact to the matter is that I came here tonight hoping to find you. I ran into your mother earlier and she told me that I might find you here,” Mimi explained quietly. Her gaze shifted across the pub before her eyes found his once again. “I heard about Belle and Phil and I’m so sorry.”

“Wow, you heard about everything too?” he frowned wondering just how many people knew about his wife’s infidelity.

“Belle’s a fool Shawn,” Mimi blurted out with a scowl. “She never knew what she wanted until she couldn’t have it anymore. That’s always been the story of her life. I’m just sorry that you were hurt in all of this.”

“That’s ironic that you’re apologizing to me,” Shawn forced a dry laugh, “considering all that we’ve been through.”

“We fell apart because I lied to you Shawn,” Mimi explained nervously. “I should have just told you the truth about Claire so that you could have her in your life instead of trying to keep you in the dark about the fact you had a daughter. I should have learned my lesson in truth telling with Rex, but I took the coward’s way out. I should have been up front and honest with you about what I knew, but I was terrified…”

“I wish I could understand, but…” he threw his hands up in the air, “it feels like every woman I’ve ever cared about has kept me in the dark about something. You did what you did because you thought you would lose me. You wanted to keep me from knowing I had a child when…”

“It was stupid and wrong of me Shawn and I wish more than anything I could take it back, but I can’t,” she trailed off a flicker of sadness behind her eyes. “I didn’t come back to Salem to beg you for forgiveness because I know that I don’t deserve that. You and Rex both have plenty of reason to hate me just as much as I hate myself. I destroyed both of you and I can’t take that back. Each and every day I find myself wishing that I could, but I just can’t…”

“Mimi,” Shawn opened his mouth to say something more, but found himself at a loss, “look tonight I’m just feeling bitter about everything with Belle and…”

“And you have every right to be angry with me Shawn and while I don’t expect you to forgive me, there are a few things I need to get off of my chest,” she explained struggling to keep her courage from slipping away. “When I left town, I went away because there were things that I did--horrible things that I can’t take back. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to face the consequences of those actions and I chose the coward’s way out of the situation. I should have stayed and fought for the life I felt should have been handed to me, but I didn’t. I ran and I kept running until I couldn’t run anymore.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” he couldn’t help but ask. “Why now?”

“Because I’m dying Shawn,” she finally blurted out with a pained expression. Tears swelled behind her eyes as she clenched the counter top in front of her. “I’ve known for about two months that my time is limited, but I’ve been too afraid to make things right. I probably never would have found up back in Salem if it wasn’t for the fact that I didn’t want to go to the grave with you hating me for all of the lies. I know we both made mistakes, but I had to clear my conscience about things Shawn. I had to make things right before I didn’t have any more chances to do so.”

“Mimi,” his features softened as the weight of her words fell upon him, “but how…?”

“The how isn’t important. It’s the why that matters,” she closed her eyes. Taking a step away from the counter, she inhaled slowly hoping to keep her courage about her as she spoke up again. “Shawn I came back to town because I needed you to see that I never, ever meant to hurt you and I needed you to know that…”

“Mimi, I’m sorry I yelled at you,” he offered up apologetically circling around the bar to touch her shoulder gently. “I had no idea that…”

“I don’t want your pity Shawn. I just want to ask you for…” she started with tears threatening to overtake her. She held her head up high and forced herself to face her fears. “I just need you to do me one last favor before…”

“Mimi don’t,” Shawn reached out to her pulling her into an embrace. “Don’t talk like that…”

“Shawn, I’m a realist,” she explained behind tears. She didn’t attempt to withdraw from the embrace, but rather welcomed it as the pain she’d kept hidden inside of her began to surface. Saying nothing Shawn held her close to him as she continued to sob, “I know I’m dying and I just needed to make sure that you didn’t hate me--that you saw that I wasn’t trying to hurt you even though I did.”

“Mimi, I don’t hate you,” he whispered cupping her face in his hands. His thumbs brushed against her cheeks gently before their eyes met again, “Despite the fact that we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs between us, I never, ever wanted anything bad to happen to you. I’ve always cared about you. I mean we were friends for how long before everything fell apart?”

“I know,” she sniffled leaning into his touch. She closed her eyes remembering the crush she’d had on him in her high school years and she let out an ironic laugh. “You know I loved you first. I wanted to be able to be the one to make you happy long before Belle decided she loved you. I was just too shy to pursue it.”

“I was too stupid not to even give it a thought,” he offered up with a small sigh. “We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble over the years if we could have just realized back then what we know now.”

“There’s no turning back though Shawn,” she mouthed in harsh realization. “The hands of time simply won’t rewind no matter how much we wish they would.”

“Maybe not, but it is Christmas after all and it’s a time for miracles,” he whispered warmly gently teasing his fingertips over her soft skin. He cupped her cheek in his hand before leaning forward to place a tender, barely there kiss upon her lips. As they parted, he saw something flash behind her eyes and without hesitation he moved in for another kiss. This time there was more emotion behind it as he felt her whimper against him. She threw her arms around his neck, drawing him closer to her as their aches transformed into something that went beyond the words they hadn’t said to one another over the years.

“I’ve always loved you Shawn,” she whispered, the words buzzing against his lips as they parted breathlessly. “I always will and I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“I’m sorry I let you down as well Mimi, but maybe your being here is a sign. Maybe Christmas miracles can still happen after all,” he mouthed squeezing her closer to him. He saw her lips part in protest, but instead he kissed her one more time to silence her concerns.

“Shawn, I’d like to believe that but…” she breathed in a shivering exhale as he pressed his forehead to hers in a tender motion.

“But maybe there’s a reason why we weren’t meant to give up all hope just yet Mimi. Maybe your being here is a sign that we can turn things around for both of us,” Shawn whispered knowing only too well that while the hands of time might not be playing in their favor that maybe there was a chance they could find a way to reconnect with one another. It had been so long since he’d felt that he could truly bond with another person and in Mimi’s return perhaps he would be able to let go of the pain of losing Belle. Maybe just maybe together he and Mimi could lessen the ache that created a void in both of their lives. Perhaps they could find a way to get beyond the past and focus on the time they had together to reconnect as friends or perhaps even as something more. After all stranger things had happened in Salem.


End file.
